--New York Governor David A. Paterson approves Jay-Z 's #1 spot on MTV's 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game list, and he let the cable channel know as much via e-mail. Vote-baiting, culture-critiquing gems included, "the MC that figures out that people 18 and older who got the right to vote in 1972 never exercised it till 2008 -- there's a real culture for discussing how our government works and how our society works. The MC who could blaze that trail and find a creative way of displaying it will be the MC of the next decade." G-Pat: dropping knowledge, making MSG cameos, confounding the youth vote.

--We may never know what words were actually exchanged between Black Lips' Jared Swilley and Wavves' Nathan Williams that fateful night at Daddy's (other than the "faggot"). For those who clung to the hope that somehow, despite knee-jerk Tweets, confessional blog posts, and smart publicists, they'd never hear another word on the inanity again, there's a light at the end of this tunnel. Thanks to the fair warning Swilley gave with his threat note on the event of Nathan Williams arrival in Atlanta ("We're gonna destroy their van, we're gonna destroy their faces, we're gonna get crazy on em'. Nasty style."), there were apparently both a cop stationed near their van, and one on stage, enough to deter either from the imminent destruction. What's more, the two parties seem to have met without preconditions, according to a promoter: "Cole [Alexander, of the Black Lips] was led backstage by Zach Hill after the show. He came back to talk to Nate and they hugged it out while talking about how stupid the whole thing was. I remember Nate saying that what Jared said to him in New York was really mean, but he's not mad at him, and he wants the whole thing to be over." Garage rock Cold War, commence.

--Speaking of. The guy who played bass and the guy who played drums behind Jay Reatard on his last tour have quit, leaving the Memphis garage icon to fend for himself for upcoming dates in the US and abroad. Jay Reatard announced it himself via Twitter early this morning, somewhat characteristically [sic]: "Band quit ! Fuck them ! They are boring rich kids who can't play for ahit anyways .. Say hello to your ugly and boring wifes opps I mean lifes guys suck it." Starting to think Mr. Reatard and Ms. Love might enjoy each others' virtual insanity.